CA1240638A

CA1240638A - Fluid pack with handle

Info

Publication number: CA1240638A
Application number: CA000493940A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Herwig Pupp; Franz Soukup; Wilhelm Reil
Original assignee: Tetra Pak Developpement SA
Current assignee: Tetra Pak Developpement SA
Priority date: 1984-10-27
Filing date: 1985-10-25
Publication date: 1988-08-16
Also published as: NO166222C; ES296112U; PT81289A; KR930008958B1; DE3439492A1; FI853312L; DE3439492C2; BR8505354A; AU4837385A; DE3577304D1; JPS61104939A; MX161318A; DK160929C; NO166222B; FI83062C; DK490085A; FI83062B; RU1804427C; AU583059B2; EP0180028A3

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Fluid pack with handle Described is a pack for filling materials which are capable of flow, comprising a tube (1) which is formed by a longitudinal sealing seam and which has a bottom (3) and a cover (2) at its ends. Of the bottom and the cover, the cover (2) comprises thermo-plastic material without a carrier material. It is injected on the tube (1) and has a pouring means. The tube comprises cardboard which is coated with thermoplastic material on one side. The bottom (3) is quadrangular and is formed from the folded-over tube (1) of the pack, in the form of a fold-type closure. The cover (2) and the cross-section of the pack are round at least in the region of the cover. To improve such a pack which has a handle so that the final consumer enjoys improved handleability and transportability, the invention provides that a portion of the tube wall, which adjoins the periphery of the cover (2), is folded on to itself, forming a handle (32, 33), and is joined to provide a double-wall surface portion in which a gripping opening (33) is provided, and that the cover (2) which is injected on to the tube is extended over the upper edge (31) of the double-wall surface portion (32) with the gripping opening (33) to provide a stiffening web (30).

(Figure 2)

Description

12406~

~ Fluid pack with handle ______________________ The invention relates to a pack for filling materials which are capable of flow, comprising a tube which is formed by at least one longitudinal sealing seam and at the ends of which are disposed a bottom and a cover, of which the cover comprises thermoplastic material without a carrier material, is injected on the tube and has a pouring means, wherein the tube comprises carrier material, for example cardboard, which is coated at least on one side with thermoplastic material, the bottom is quadrangular and is formed from the folded-over tube of the pack in the form of a - 10 fold-type closure and has a transverse sealing seam with triangular flaps which are folded over on to an adjacent wall, and the cover and the cross-section of the pack, at least in the region of the cover, are round.
A pack of that nature is already known from European publication No 052261. Although that pack can be produced by means of simple tools and has the advantages that it enjoys good stability, makes good use of the space occupied and is properly fluid-tight, the final consumer however has to grip the pack on the outside thereof, at the walls of the tube, in order to i 20 carry the pack or to pour it out.
The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a pack of the kind set forth in the opening part of this specification, which has a handle so that the final consumer enjoys better handling and transportability, while however essential features of the known pack should not be lost, such as for example the rnanufacture thereof from a web of cardboard which is in a flat condition, a low level of consumption of material and the like.
~V3' ~24V~38 According to the invention, that object is attained in that a portion of the tube wall, which adjoins the periphery of the cover, is folded on to itself, forming a handle, and is joined to provide a double-wall surface portion in which a gripping opening is provided, and that the cover which is injected on to the tube is extended over the upper edge of the double-wall surface portion with the gripping opening to provide a stiffening web.
By virtue of those features, the manufacturer of the fluid pack can use a web which is in a flat condition, for example a web of cardboard or paper, and he attains the same advantages as the known pack with good stackability and re-closability by virtue of a suitable configuration of the cover which only comprises thermoplastic material, while nonetheless providing improved handleability with a stiff handle which is fixedly and firmly tied in to the pack. The handle is tied into the pack by virtue of a stiffening web portion which extends over the double-wall surface portion with the gripping opening. In other words, in accordance with the invention, the surprisingly simple provision of the handle surface portion, that is to say, the double-wall surface portion with the gripping opening, is effected in that fold lines are so incorporated and established in the web, which is initially in a flat condition, for the wall of the tube of the pack, that the material of the tube provides two surface portions which, projecting out from the tube, are folded on to themselves and joined together.
In that connection, in accordance with the invention, it is particularly desirable if,double-wall surface portion with the gripping opening is of a triangular configuration such that the upper edge thereof forms a short one of the two sides adjoining the hypotenuse, its outer fold edge which extends substantially in the longitudinal direction of the tube forms a long one of said two sides and the two inner fold edges which lie one upon the other form the hypotenuse. The above-mentioned surface portion ~240~

Packs of the kind described herein are frequently brought together and transported in collective containers, in particular from the manufacturer to retailers. The above-described features provide for gocd stackability within the container, while taking up a small amount of space, although a handle is disposed on the pack on one side thereof.
In that connection, it has been found to be particularly advantaqeous if, in accordance with the invention, the length of the upper edge of the double-wall gripping surface portion, said upper edge representing the short one of the two sides adjoining the hypotenuse of the triangular configuration, is substantially egual to the radius of the round cover. Such a configuration has been found to be very durable and the final consumer can then move the pack in a particularly advantageous manner when emptying and handling it.
An interesting aspect is the question of the volume of the pack, in which respect the handle which in fact is after all formed from the material of the walls of the tube in one piece therewith should not cause too much of the volume of the pack to be lost.
For that purpose, it has been found to be particularly advantageous if, in accordance with the invention, the lower corner point of the triangular handle surface portion, that is to say, the point of intersection of the hypotenuse and the long one of the two adjoining sides of the triangular configuration, is disposed at a spacing from the bottom edge which is in the range substantially between zero and one-third of the height of the pack.
In that way, the region of the material of the tube which is required for the handle or gripping portion can be kept as small as possible and the dead zones which are formed by virtue of the provision of the double-wall gripping surface portion are minimised.
In other words, that arrangement makes it possible to restrict lZ4(~638 is most desirably of a triangular configuration, with each half of the double-wall surface portion being triangular in the above-described manner.Accordingly the blank therefore has two of those triangular sides which are disposed directly one upon the other, in mirror-image relationship, being joined together by way of a fold line. Such a surface portion can ~e advantageously arranged within the web of material which is to form the tube of the pack, and can be folded out by per se known manufacturing and folding machines. In that way, it is possible to provide a means for gripping or handling the pack or a means for transporting same, which the final consumer can use easily and reasonably and therefore without difficulties.
In accordance with the invention, the handle or the double-wall surface portion with the gripping opening is fixedly and firmly joined to the body of the pack, in the manner already referred to hereinbefore, in a particularly advantageous manner, if the stiffening web is provided with ribs which extend as far as the gripping opening which is disposed at a spacing from the upper edge of the double-wall surface portion, and is preferably additionally provided with a stiffening bead which covers over at least an edge portion of the gripping opening. By virtue of the double-wall handle portion being secured along the hypotenuse, that arrangement already provides a strong holding and stiffening force, while the above-described ribs and the stiffening bead which is preferably additionally also provided afford a handle which is very robust in terms of the service life of the pack.
Another advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that three side walls of the tube extend, as viewed in its longitudinal direction, substantially perpendicularly to the square bottom, and the fourth side wall with the handle, as viewed from the side transversely on to the double-wall handle portion, extends inclinedly with respect to the longitudinal direction.

12~0~

to a minimum the dead volume required for the gripping surface portion.
Another advantageous embodiment is characterised in that an elongate plastics cover strip is sealed on the inside of the tube along at least a part of the interconnected inner fold edges of the handle surface portion. On the one hand, the strength of the double-wall handle surface portion is improved by virtue of the fact that for example the pressure of the contents of the pack does not cause one wall of the triangular configuration to come away again fram the other, while on the other hand that arrangement also ensures that fluid cannot collect between the two triangular surfaces when small improper passages occur.
Alternatively, it is also possible if, for the same purpose, in accordance with the invention, a respective plastics cover strip is sealed on the inside of the tube along at least a part of the height of each of the inner fold edges forming the handle surface portion. The fact that the additional plastics cover strip is sealed in position results in the presence of an additional amount of plastics material in the area in question so that the sealing effect is particularly strong in that area and the arrangement ensures that a filled pack cannot split open by the two triangular walls forming the handle surface portion being pulled apart.
When producing such a pack with a handle, the surfaces of the cover and the bottom should be disposed in parallel relationship to each other, ln particular also when the bottom is square or also rectangular. If such a pack is to be produced from a continuous web, as indicated above, then the blank must substantially be produced from that web. m e man skilled in the art will readily appreciate that, when providing a handle on a round tube, outer edges occur in the blank, which are not a clear straight ~ Z~063~

line in the direction of the web. Therefore, the invention provides that the two mutually oppositely disposed end edges of the blank, which are respectively disposed at the cover and the bottom, have transitional regions of a c plementarily bent configuration, between the middle and outer regions of the blank. If in fact a blank which has been separated from the web is folded into the final form, forming the handle, it will be immediately seen that a curved or bent transitional region must be provided in particular at those locations at which the above-mentioned upper edge of the double-wall surface portion (the short one of the two sides adjoining the hypotenuse of the triangular configuration) goes into the upper edge of the round tube, so that in side view the upper edge of the tube forms a straight line, in the finished condition, - with the upper edge of the double-wall surface portion.
By reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be explained hereinafter that the transitional regions, laterally of the triangular surface portions of the web, are bent out on the side towards the upper edge of the double-wall surface portion so that on the side in opposite relation thereto, that is to say, at the other end of the blank, it is necessary to provide a correspondingly rounded transitional region, by drawing in towards the middle of the blank. That is achieved by the material for the transverse sealing seam, in the block bottom region, being of such a width that sufficien~ sealing area remains, even with the cut-out portion.
~esirably, a further development of the invention provides that the longitudinal sealing seam forming the tube is formed by joining oppositely disposed inward sides, extending one side ; beyond the other, and folding over the projecting edge, with adhesion thereof on the outside of the tube. Although there is the known option of forming such a longitudinal sealing seam for producing a tube, by virtue of an outer edge of the tube being ~z40~3~3 sealed on to the inner edge, in which respect such a sealing se~n can be referred to as an 'overlap' seam, that arrangement means however that a cut edge is exposed towards the inside of the tube.
Fluid could penetrate into the cut edge and into the open and unprotected carrier material (paper or cardboard) and cause it to swell up. That known phenomenon is avoided by sealing a protective strip (edge protection) in position. Such an arrang~nent is unnecessary when using the features as described abo~e.
The foregoing shows that the invention made it possible for the first time to form a pack of known kind from a continuous web of material, even when the pack has a handle whose material is taken directly fran the web itself and which is provided in such a way that it can be folded out, by virtue of suitable fold lines. The handle occupies a small dead volume, and it is fixedly disposed on the tube and is of such a configuration as to provide good stackability within collective containers. The apex of the triangular handle surface portion will generally be disposed in the lower region of the pack and in the extreme case may even be disposed in the lower edge of the bottom thereof, in which connection the spacing of that apex from the lower edge of the bottan of the pack - is about one-quarter or one-fifth of the height of the pack, as measured between the surfaces of the cover and the bottom of the pack when in the assembled condition.
In that way it is possible to provide a pack for containing or holding for exampie two litres of fluid, preferably milk, the ! raw material of which is a web in a flat condition cornprising a plastics-coated carrier material, the final condition of which is the above-described cylindrical shape with a handle mounted thereto, with consideration being given to consumer habits, in other words, the pack can be readily opened, re-closed and handled for pouring it out.

~Z4~)~3~

Another preferred embodiment, in accordance with the invention, is characterised in that the longitudinal sealing seam - is disposed in the edge region of the handle surface portion, which is perpendicular to the cover. While, in the above-described blank, the handle surface portion comes to lie in the middle region thereof, the embodiment which has just been described above provides that a respective layer or ply of the double-ply handle surface portion occurs at the edge of the blank. At one side, that is to say, also at the edge of the blank, is the longitudinal sealing seam which is directly connected by way of a fold line to the one layer or ply of the adjacent handle surface portion.
That embodiment enjoys a number of advantages. As each seam, including therefore the longitudinal sealing seam of the tube, represents a weak point in a fluid pack, it is particularly advantageous if the region of the longitudinal sealing seam which occurs at the handle surface portion is taken out of contact with the fluid, by virtue of the above-indicated blank. In the advantageous embodiment which is most widely used therefore the longitudinal sealing seam is kept out of contact with the fluid, over more than two-thirds of the height of the pack. Another advantage is the additional stiffness in the handle, which, as will be appreciated, is considerably strengthened by the formation of the longitudinal sealing seam. We should also not overlook the further advantage that the arrangement of the layers or plies of the handle surface portion, in the edge regions of the blank, means that the middle region remains in one piece and smooth.
That gives a better display surface, that is to say, a large area which extends from one layer or ply of the handle s~rface portion to the other, in one piece and uninterrupted, without any interruption by a seam or other intersection. The display surface is used for carrying printing, as is already known to the consumer ~Z4Q638 in relation to similar packs. In the printing art, there is a wish to eliminate displacement of the overall image, for example due to its being divided by an intersection. In accordance with the -nvention, that is achieved in a particularly advantageous S manner with this second embodiment.
Further advantages, features and possible uses of the present invention will be apparent from the following description in conjunction with the drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embcdiment of a pack with handle, which sticks out towards the rear and is partly masked, Figure 2 is a side view of the pack shown in Figure 1, viewing laterally on to the handle, the pouring means being pressed inwardly within the external contour of the pack so that it cannot be seen, Figure 3 is a rear view of this embodiment, for example viewing from right to left in the plane of the paper in Figure 2, Figure 4 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view through the upper region of the pack with handle surface portion, showing the arrangement of the elongate plastics cover strip, Figure 5 shows the same view as Figure 4 in which however the upper half of the tube is broken away, showing another alternative in which a respective cover strip is applied on the inside of the tube over both inner edges, Figure 6 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of the still unfinished blank in which the longitudinal sealing seam, which appears as a point, is formed by joining mutually opFositely disposed inward sides, Figure 7 is a view on an enlarged scale of the upper half of Figure 6, with the longitudinal sealing seam more clearly shown lZ40~3~

in exaqgerated form, in the form of a point, Figure 8 is a similar cross-sectional view to that shown in Figure 7 but after the longitudinal sealing seam has been laid over and the longer part has been caused to adhere with its inside surface to the outside surface of the oppositely disposed wall portionj Figure 9 shows the blank of the pack in a first emkodiment without the cover injection-ulded thereon, Figure 10 shows the blank of the pack in a second embodiment without a cover, and Figure 11 is the same view as that shown in Figure 5 but ~ with the different arrangement of the longitudinal sealing seam in accordance with the second emkodiment.
- . The finished pack for materials which are capable of flow, as illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, comprises side walls which are generally denoted by reference numeral 1 because this embodiment has a round cross-section in the region of the cover 2 (because the cover 2 which covers over the open tube at the top is also of a circular configuration, without the stiffening web), so that really it would only be possible to distinguish between four side walls, on the end of the tube having the end wall forming the bottom 3. For the sake of simplicity reference will only be made herein to side walls 1. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the side walls are formed into a tube and are ~oined together for definitively forming the closed tube along the longitudinal sealing seam 4 which is c,mitted from the views shown in Figure-; 2 to 5. The man skilled in the art is aware that the longitudinal sealing seam 4 extends into the bottom 3. That can be seen from the blank shown in Figure 9, the block bottom of which does not need to be described in greater detail herein. The pack, that is to say, the tube after the block bottom 3 has been folded together, is ~Z~O~i3~3 of a height H which, having regard to the blank shown in Figure 9, is somewhat smaller than the length L of the portion of material, as also mentioned.
me operation of folding up the block bottom, which is only generally indicated by reference numeral 3, will not be described in greater detail herein, but some information concerning fold lines from the blank shown in Figure 9 follow.
me cover 2 which is only formed from thermoplastic material without a carrier material is injected on the tube 1, more specifically at the circular upper edge which is not shown herein.
The cover 2 is injected in the configuration of use thereof, as shown in Figure 1. In contrast, the configuration shown in Figures

2 and 3 is the form for transportation in which the pouring means which is generally denoted by reference m~meral 13 is folded inwardly of the external contour of the pack in such a way that there are no individual parts of the pouring means 13 projecting beyond the upper edge 6. mat ensures that the pack has satisfactory stability when standing up and can be satisfactorily wrapped (by means of shrink films or the like).
As shown in Figure 1, the pouring means 13 illustrated herein is carried centrally on the cover 2 in the form of an annular collar 14 which stands up in an outward direction, being upwardly as viewing in Figure 1. me upper edge 15 of the collar 14 is connected to a closure plug or stopper 16 with a gripping ring 17 welded thereon. The point of connection is indicated by reference numeral 23. The hinge for the stopper 16 is not shown in greater detail for the provision of such a pouring means 13 is known per se and is not important in regard to descrlbing the present invention.
In contrast, a significant aspect in accordance with the - 30 invention is the stiffening web 30 which is particularly clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2 and which is injected in one piece with lZ4063~3 the cover 2 over the upper edge 31 of a double-wall surface portion 32 with a gripping opening 33 provided therein. In that way, the cover 2 which is injected at the top on to the edge of the tube is extended radially towards one side, in the form of a web portion (stiffening web 30) which is injected on to the upper edge 31 of the handle surface portion 32.
The handle surface portion or double-wall surface portion 32 comprises plastics-coated carrier material, for example cardboard, joins the tube wall 1, and is formed from the blank thereof in such a way that, upon suitable folding of the blank, a handle 32, 33 can be formed by virtue of two parts of the tube wall, which in the present case are preferably of a triangular configuration, being folded on to themselves, thereby forming the above-mentioned double-wall triangular surface portion 32.
If reference is made to Figure 3, that is to say, viewing on to the side of the pack with the handle, the double-wall handle surface portion 32 will be seen therein in the form of a narrow double line, for, when viewed from the rear, the handle surface portion is only as thick as two layers of cardboard applied one upon the other.
The for~ and arrangement of the handle surface portion 32, as shown in Figure 2, is of greater interest. In the side view of Figure 2, the upper edge 31 forms a short one of the two sides adjoining the hypotenuse of the triangle, while the outer fold edge 34 which extends substantially in the longitudinal direction of the tube ~in the longitudinal direction of the sealing seam 4 shown in Figure 1) forms the long one of the said two sides, and the two inner fold edges 35 and 36 which lie one upon the other form the hypotenuse.
It will also be seen that the stiffening web 30 is provided ~Z~638 with ribs 37 which are formed on the web 30 and which can be injected at the same time in the injection moulding operation. The ribs extend from the stiffening web 30 downwardly in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the tube 1 approximately as far as the gripping opening 33 which is disposed at a spacing from the upper edge 31 of the double-wall surface portion 32. The ribs 37 terminate at that edge or at that end of the gripping opening 33, which is towards the stiffening web 30. At that end of the gripping opening 33, a stiffening bead 38 extends over the edge of the opening 33, joining the two free ends of the ribs 37 together. In that way, the overall structure of the gripping surface portion 32 with stiffening web 30 enjoys considerable strength and stiffness.
It will be seen that, as viewed from the bottom 3 as illustrated in Figure 1, the three front side walls, namely the side wall with the longitudinal sealing seam 4 and the two adjoining side walls which are separated therefrom by the partial fold edges 39 extend substantially perpendicularly relative to the bottom 3, as can also be seen from the views in Figures 2 and 3. In contrast, Figure 2 clearly shows that the fourth side wall which is disposed in opposite relationship ~ the longitudinal sealing seam 4, namely the wall having the handle 32 and 33, extends at an angle to the longitudinal direction. In the embodiment illustrated herein, the fourth side wall in turn comprises three parts, Figure 3 affording the best option in regard to description thereof. The lower triangular part 40 adjoins the bottom 3 and the other two parts of that side wall in turn adjoin the lower part 40, are separated by the double-wall handle surface portion 32 and merge into the tube wall 1 or form parts thereof.
Various considerations and tests were made in relation to the dimensions of the pack, and it was found to be particularly desirable lZ4~63~

for the length of the upper edge 31 of the double-wall handle surface portion 32, said upper edge forming the short side of the triangular configuration, to be approximately equal to the radius of the round part of the cover 2.
If reference is made to Figures 2 and 3, a corner point P
will be seen therein, the position of which relative to the cover 2 and the bottam 3 plays a part in regard to stackability, strength and utilisation of volume. In the embodiment illustrated herein, this lower corner point which in fact is the point of intersection of the long one 34 of the two sides adjoining the hypotenuse of the triangular configuration, and the hypotenuse 35, 36 itself, is at a spacing from the botto~l 3. That spacing is intended to be in accordance with the view shown in Figure 2 from which it is possible clearly to define the spacing of the point P from the lower line which represents the bottom 3. That spacing should not exceed about one-third of the height H of the pack and may also be down to zero, which means that the point P has moved downwardly into the plane of the bottom 3. When that occurs, the triangular surface portion 40 shown in Figure 3 no longer occurs.
Figures 4 and 5 show two embodiments wherein a plastics cover strip which is denoted by 41 or 42 and 43 respectively is sealed lengthwise on the inner fold edge 35 or 36 respectively of the handle surface portion 32. The strip serves to hold together the two triangular halves of the handle surface portion 32, while thereby also preventing fluid from penetrating into any space which may occur within the double-wall handle surface portion 32, in the region of the strip 41; 42, 43. While in Figure 4 a cover strip is sealed into position along the two inner fold edges 35 and 36 which are disposed in directly juxtaposed relationship, overlapping both those edges at the same time, the ~LZ4V63~3 other embodiment shown in Figure 5 il:Lustrates that a separate strip is previously sealed in position on the blank on each of the inner fold edges 35 and 36 respectively. The separate strips are identified by reference numeral 42 on one side and by reference numeral 43 on the other side.
It will be seen from Figure 2 that t'ne two inner fold edges 35 and 36 which bear one against the other extend from the point P to the cover 2, that is to say, they are of a length corresponding to the hypotenuse. The plastics cover strips 41-43 must cover over at least a part of the handle region. In other words, it is partly sufficient if the length of the cover strip 41 or 42, 43 extends only over one-third or half of the length between P and the cover 2. Figures 6 and 7 diagrammatically show the way in which the longitudinal sealing seam 4 can be formed by the two mutually oppositely disposed inward sides of the web material for the tube being sealed together. If the strip 44 which extends outwardly in Figures 6 and 7 is t'nen folded over in the manner shown in Figure 8 in such a way that the inward side of the left-hand wall portion, with the strip 44, comes to lie upon the outside of the oppositely disposed wall portion, as shown in Figure 8, and is sealed thereto as indicated at 45, then there is no longer any need for the otherwise conventional edge protection means for the longitudinal sealing seams 4 which are produced in an overlapping configuration.
Figure 9 shows the blank for the tube of a pack as illustrated in Figure 1, the direction of movement of the web of carrier material being indicated by the arrow 46". At its centre and symmetrically on both sides of the fold line 34, the front or leading edge comprises a straight portion of a length a, which is equal to double the length of the upper edge 31, namely equal to double the length of the short one of the two sides ad~oining the hypotenuse of the triangular configuration. It is assumed in - this case that the longitudinal sealing seam 4 is provided at the side edges. ~n the contrary, an important factor is the position of the point P with respect to the fold edge 7 which represents the boundary line between the block bottom 3 and the remainder of the surface forming the tube and the side walls 1 respectively. While the exact spacing of the upper edges 31 which are disposed in line relative to each other, from the bottom fold line 7 is 'L', the height of the pack is H. Disposed between those two lines is a strip with bent or curved transitional regions. If for example the height H of the pack is 23 cm, the width of the above-mentioned strip with the transitional regions 46 is 10 mm. Expressed in general terms, the difference L - H
is approximately equal to one tenth of the diameter of the end of the tube at the cover 2 when the pack is upright, at the upper end.
If, in a particu]ar situation, the point P moves downwardly into the fold edge 7, that is to say, if the spacing of the point P from the bottom edge 7 becomes zero, then the point P should also occur in a corner of the block bottom which is indicated for example in Figure 9 at 47 or at 47' as an alternative location.
The difference, that is to say, the width of the strip at the leading and trailing edges of the web does not have an abrupt transition, towards the middle, but has the rounded transitional regions identified by reference numeral 46. It will be seen from Figure 9 that the transitional region makes up about lt3rd of the half of the periphery of the tube, on each side, in which connection the three-thirds shown at top right in Figure 9 make up a distance equal to one-half of the periphery of the tube (in that connection, the material for the longitudinal sealing seam is disregarded).

~Z40~38 While the leading edge is shown at the top in Figure 9, the rearward or trailing edge is at the bottom. It will be appreciated that these mutually oppositely disposed end edges of the blank must have transitional regions of a complementarily bent or S curved configuration, for which reason the transitional regions at the trailing end edge are identified by reference numeral 46'.
The width of this transverse sealing seam 9 is sufficiently wide or great that sufficient material for a good sealing seam remains in the middle region of the handle surface portion 32 or the triangular surface portion 40 in Figure 9.
Another blank for a second embodiment is shown in Figure 10 in which the same ccmponents are denoted by the same reference numerals as in Figure 9. For that reason, there is no need for the description again to deal separately with aspects which are the lS same. In this embodiment, the fold line 34 is moved outwardly and coincides with the fold line by way of which the longitudinal sealing seam 4 is joined to the other material of the blank.
Therefore, the point P also occurs at the edge of the longitudinal sealing seam 4, which is shown at the left-hand edge in Figure 10. It extends in the direction of movement 46" of the web of material. The upper edge 31 is moved to the edge, like also the respective individual layers or plies of the handle surface portion 32 in which the gripping opening 33 is disposed. The length of the upper edge 31 is a/2.
The transitional regions 46 at the leading edge (at the top as viewing in the direction of movement of the blank as illustrated in Figure 10) are also further moved to the edge in this second embodiment. The same also applies in regard to the rearward or trailing transitional regions 46' by virtue of which the transverse sealing seam 9 is wider in the middle and thinner at the outsides, being therefore precisely the opposite to the embodiment of Figure 9.

lZ~638 In the embodiment shown in Figure 10, the longitudinal sealing seam 4 no longer comes into contact with the fluid above the point P, that is to say, over a region of more than two-thirds of the height H of the pack, so that the risk of the pack leaking are S considerably reduced thereby. Although the two layers or plies of the handle surface portion 32, which are arranged on the outside on the right-hand and left-hand sides in the embodiment in Figure 10 are glued together for the purposes of assembling and finishing the pack, the fact that the longitudinal sealing seam 4 is folded over at the fold line 34 gives an additional and considerable degree of stiffness. In contrast, the middle region still has a smooth continuous surface for printing to be applied therefore, which can no longer be detrimentally affected by displacement, as will be seen may possibly occur with the pack shown in Figure 1.
Finally, Figure 11 shows the sa~e sectional view as that illustrated in Figure 5, but showing the other arrangement of the longitudinal sealing seam, at the forward or leading end, in the bottom part in Figurell. While the two layers or plies of the handle surface portion 32 are only joined by the fold line 34 in Figure 5, the embodiment shown in Figure 11 involves a welded join by way of the longitudinal sealing seam 4 itself.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A pack for filling materials which are capable of flow, comprising a tube which is formed by at least one longitudinal sealing seam and at the ends of which are disposed a bottom and a cover, of which the cover comprises thermoplastic material without a carrier material, that is injected on the tube and has a pouring means, wherein the tube comprises carrier material which is coated at least on one side with thermoplastic material, the bottom is quadrangular and is formed from the folded-over tube of the pack in the form of a fold-type closure and has a transverse sealing seam with triangular flaps which are folded over on to an adjacent wall, and the cover and the cross-section of the pack, at least in the region of the cover, are round, characterised in that a portion of the tube wall, which adjoins the periphery of the cover, is folded on to itself, forming a handle, and is joined to provide a double-wall surface portion in which a gripping opening is provided, and that the cover which is injected on to the tube is extended over the upper edge of the double-wall surface portion with the gripping opening to provide a stiffening web.

2. A pack according to claim 1 characterised in that the double-wall surface portion with the gripping opening is of a triangular configuration such that the upper edge thereof forms a short one of the two sides adjoining the hypotenuse, its outer fold edge which extends substantially in the longitudinal direction of the tube forms a long one of said two sides and the two inner fold edges which lie one upon the other form the hypotenuse.

3. A pack according to claim 1 characterised in that the stiffening web is provided with ribs which extend as far as the gripping opening which is disposed at a spacing from the upper edge of the double-wall surface portion.

4. A pack according to claim 1, 2 or 3 characterised in that three side walls of the tube extend, as viewed in its longitu-dinal direction, substantially perpendicularly to the square bottom, and the fourth side wall with the handle, as viewed from the side transversely on to the double-wall handle portion, extends inclinedly with respect to the longitudinal direction.

5. A pack according to claim 1, 2 or 3 characterised in that the length of the upper edge of the double-wall gripping surface portion, said upper edge representing the short one of the two sides adjoining the hypotenuse of the triangular configuration, is substantially equal to the radius of the round cover.

6. A pack according to claim 1, 2 or 3 characterised in that the lower corner point of the triangular handle surface portion, that is to say, the point of intersection of the hypotenuse and the long one of the two adjoining sides of the triangular configur-ation, is disposed at a spacing from the bottom edge which is in the range substantially between zero and one-third of the height of the pack.

7. A pack according to claim 1, 2 or 3 characterised in that an elongate plastics cover strip is sealed on the inside of the tube along at least a part of the interconnected inner fold edges of the handle surface portion.

8. A pack according to claim 1, 2 or 3 characterised in that a respective plastics cover strip is sealed on the inside of the tube along at least a part of the height of each of the inner fold edges forming the handle surface portion.

9. A pack according to claim 1, 2 or 3 characterised in that the two mutually oppositely disposed end edges of the blank, which are respectively disposed at the cover and the bottom, have transi-tional regions of a complementarily bent configuration, between the middle and outer regions of the blank.

10. A pack according to claim 1, 2 or 3 characterised in that the longitudinal sealing seam forming the tube is formed by joining oppositely disposed inward sides, extending one side beyond the other, and folding over the projecting edge, with adhesion thereof on the outside of the tube.

11. A pack according to claim 1, 2 or 3 characterised in that the longitudinal sealing seam is disposed in the edge region of the handle surface portion, which is perpendicular to the cover.

12. A pack according to claim 3 wherein the carrier material of the tube is cardboard and wherein the stiffening web is addi-tionally provided with a stiffening bead which covers over at least an edge portion of the gripping opening.